


Our Greatest Regrets

by ThatScottishShipper



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Forgiveness, Found Family, Gift Fic, Grief/Mourning, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Post-Game: Mortal Kombat X, Redemption, Self-Reflection, Spoilers, Temple, dont repost to another site, hand holding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24903784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatScottishShipper/pseuds/ThatScottishShipper
Summary: On a cold, dark night, as the blizzards raged outside the Lin Kuei Temple, Kuai Liang and Hanzo Hasashi reflect upon what they believe is their greatest regrets, their guilt...*Written for Fandom Giftbox 2020. MKX spoilers.*
Relationships: Hanzo Hasashi | Scorpion/Sub-Zero
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14
Collections: Fandom Giftbox 2020





	Our Greatest Regrets

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cat2000](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cat2000/gifts).



The Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei listened.

A blizzard roared, cold winds offering a protective barrier around the Lin Kuei Temple. From the inside hallways, the howl offered a strange reassurance, like a comforting blanket, but his mind was nevertheless a whirling storm to rival nature’s breath.

Kept awake by his own torment, the surviving Sub-Zero son stood by the moon shaped window, his dark blue robe casting a trail of frost behind him. Months passed since Shinnok’s defeat, and Kuai Ling had time to think about things. About the future of the Lin Kuei, about his affiliation to Earthrealm protectors…

_ Him _ .

As if on cue, the softest footsteps came up behind him, and he smirked. There was no mistaking them as  _ his _ footsteps, those worthy of a Shirai Ryu ninja. 

“I recognise your footsteps, Hanzo.”

A ghost’s breath touched the back of his neck, and he shivered, but not from the cold. A morning frost was a bitter bite, but this felt like a warm caress. The quaint night brought with it a calm reflection, making Kuai Liang appreciate the visit.

“A dishonour,” the man once known as Scorpion addressed, a sense of familiar intimacy lingering between them, “if you were to lose your touch now, after all these years.”

A small smile tugged at his lips, then Kuai Liang proceeded. “A dishonour to you and I both then.”

As Hanzo came closer, appreciating Kuai Liang’s features by the candlelight, the Link Kuei Grandmaster gazed back, as if trying to read his mind.

He knew Hanzo had a purpose in roaming the Temple halls so late. It was the same reason the Cryomancer frequented the Path of Reflection, even in the late hours.

Ghosts of deceased brothers, and lost loved ones, frequented the night, passing across nightingale floorboards silently. But to Hanzo and Kuai Liang, their presence was heard loud and clear.

A hand came to Hanzo’s chest, trailing the lining of his ebony robe. Enemies existed bountiful in all the realms, including their own minds, so extending the hand felt a rightful course of action.

That had been why Kuai Liang prepared a tea ceremony of reconciliation, to Hanzo’s liking, a chance to reform their purpose towards Earthrealm’s protection.

A purpose that became greater between them, like the eternal flame outside.

“Hanzo, I meant every word,” Kuai Liang whispered, quietly as fresh fallen snow. “I do not blame you.”

Hanzo screwed his eyes shut, reliving the moments of vengeance that had been such an integral part of his life. The emptiness inside him when he held all that remained of Bi-Han. That fatal slice that sealed the fate of Quan Chi… and his friends as Revenants.

It brought Shinnok back. For all those warnings, for all Liu Kang’s mindful mantras of forgiving oneself and letting go of anger, Hanzo never relented, and he paid the price, as did others.

Kuai Liang saw the guilt weighing inside those dark eyes. He remembered how responsible Hanzo felt, even after the fall of Shinnok. Sometimes, it was always when the nights were calmest that the dark too settled.

_ ‘Bi-Han always told me that…’  _ Kuai Liang still saw his brother, running from the shadows, and he prayed with all his might that were still possible.

_ ‘No… Regret is a terrible thing, especially when another needs me…’ _

His hand touched Hanzo’s cheek, rousing him back to reality. Kuai Liang’s considerate eyes beckoned him to the path of forgiveness.

“Remember what I told you, Hanzo,” he said softly, “Quan Chi was responsible for my brother’s death.”

_ ‘As am I,’  _ Kuai Liang thought, wondering where Noob Saibot was. Somewhere, out there, his older brother roamed the realms, a malicious spectre stripped of his humanity.

Frost, a warrior of great potential, encased by her own stubbornness and ambition.

And Smoke, once known as Tomas, lost to the hellish sorcery by Sindel’s hand, as was he for a time.

_ ‘Perhaps, if I were stronger, I…’ _

No. Reminiscing of days gone meant little. The Lin Kuei Grandmaster focused on Hanzo Hasashi, who gazed back at him with reverence.

“You and I are alone no longer.”

Hanzo nodded.

As strengthened as the reformed Shirai Ryu became, they were only a small part of Hanzo’s family. His chujin, Takeda, and his bride-to-be, the honourable Jacqui Briggs. By extension, Jax and Kenshi, along with the Cages.

And who could forget the lively Kung Jin, another member of the new generation?

When Hanzo smiled, Kuai Liang did too, knowing who occupied their thoughts.

Between his extended family, and the stranded orphans he and Kuai Liang took in, poor souls left heartbroken by the Netherrealm War, Hanzo felt like he had a family again.

Hanzo’s warm hand clasped over his lover’s, their fingers slowly entwining.

_ ‘Satoshi would have liked him.’ _

After a moment, listening to the harsh wind outside, Hanzo looked at his lover, once his rival, and spoke.

“Some day, Kuai Liang…”

“Yes…” The Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei squeezing the hand against his, which, surprisingly, felt warm. “We shall save them.”

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Cat2000 as part of Fandom Giftbox 2020, who requested Scorpion/Sub-Zero with prompts redemption, and forgiveness.
> 
> As soon as I saw Mortal Kombat, I knew I HAD to do it. 💖
> 
> Interestingly enough, I replayed MKX recently, which is why the story is set a little after that time. The two have been dealt great loss and bottle up a lot of guilt and regret. Scorpion, or Hanzo, still mourns his family, and regrets killing Sub-Zero’s brother, but also feels guilt over condemning his friends to fates as Revenants after killing Quan Chi. His MKX Ending shows how badly he took it.
> 
> Sub-Zero, or Kuai Liang, has his own demons, unable to save his brother who is now Noob Saibot, reform Frost, and save Smoke.
> 
> Despite all of this, the tea ceremony scene in MKX (MY FAVOURITE) is very enlightening in terms of Sub-Zero stating that he doesn’t blame Scorpion, and I imagine Scorpion wants to help Sub-Zero in kind.
> 
> The other prompts I had to choose from - Sub-Zero & Noob Saibot, and Scorpion x Liu Kang - were very interesting, but ultimately, I settled on this idea. However, glimpses of it show in the story, with Kuai Liang’s worry over his brother, and Scorpion shrugging off an earlier attempt Liu Kang made about overcoming anger... and regretting it.
> 
> Also, Found Family? With Grandmaster Daddies Hanzo and Kuai Liang? THE BEST.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it. 💛💙


End file.
